Rotationally set well packer



March 18, 1969 E. H. CLARK, JR., ET AL ROTATIONALLY SET WELL PACKERFiled Nov. 7. 1966 TTOQNEV.

3,433,303 ROTATIONALLY SET WELL PACKER Earnest H. Clark, Jr., Downey,John F. De Rochemont,

La Habra, and Julian D. Keithahn, Downey, Calif., as-

sgnors to Baker Gil Tools, Inc., City of Commerce,

Calif., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 592,628

U.S. Cl. 166-184 12 Claims Int. Cl. E21b 33/12 ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSUREA rotationally set Well packer in which upper and lower telescopicbodies have abutments movable toward and away from one another upontelescopic movement of the bodies, a resilient packer sleeve beingdisposed between the abutments for expansion and retraction responsiveto such telescopic movement of the bodies, and in which telescopicmovement of the bodies is effected by a pin on one body engaged in acompound slot in the other body including axially and circumferentiallyspaced slot portions disposed on planes normal to the axis of the bodiesand an inclined slot interconnecting said slot portions, rotation of onebody relative to the other effecting telescopic movement of the bodiesby the ca-mming action of the pin and inclined Slot. Such a packer inwhich the `bodies have cooperable valve means openable upon telescopicextension of said bodies and closable upon telescopic contraction ofsaid bodies.

The Apresent invention relates to well packers adapted to be lowered inwell casing and set at desired locations therewithin, and moreparticularly to well packers of the retrievable type.

' More particularly, the present invention provides a rotationally setwell tool having expansible means thereon in a normally retractedcondition, the tool being adapted to be run into a well bore on a tubingstring, and the tool having rotatably and telescopically coengaged innerand outer bodies adapted to effect expansion of the expansible meansresponsive to telescopic movement of the bodies in one direction and toeffect retraction of the expansible means responsive to telescopicmovement of the bodies in the other direction. Such telescopic movementof the bodies in either direction is elfected by a cam slot disposed onan incline and leading lbetween upper and lower arcuately extended slotportions spaced axially of the bodies, a pin being slidable in the slotand preventing telescopic movement of said bodies when in the upper andlower slot portions, but causing the telescopic movement of the bodiesin response to relative rotation of the bodies, as said pin moves in theinclined cam slot. In addition, the invention provides valve meansclosable and openable upon expansion and retraction of the expansiblemeans to provide a lateral passage leading between the interior and theexterior of the bodies.

An object of the present invention is to provide a well packer adaptedto be run in a well bore on a tubular string and to be set therewithinthrough the application of a low torque applied to the well packerthrough the tubular string, the well packer being readily set throughthe application of a turning elort to the tubing string and alsoreleased from its set condition in response to a nted States Patent C)rotary motion applied to the well packer through the tubing string.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well packer which isrelatively easily set in the well casing through the application ofrotary elfort applied to the Well packer by the tubing string, thetubing string thereafter being maintained in either a neutral,compressed or tensioned condition, as desired.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a well packer whichhas its parts readily retained in a retracted position duringlongitudinal movement of the well packer in the Well bore, which is setas a result of rotary eir'ort applied through the tubing string to thewell packer, and in which the well packer cannot be inadvertentlyreleased from its set condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a well packer having aninitially retracted packing device eX- panded against the well casing inresponse to rotary effort applied to the well packer through the tubularstring, and -in which a predetermined degree of expansion of the packingelement cannot be exceeded.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objectswhich may be made more `clearly apparent from a consideration of a formin which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawingsaccompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will nowbe described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the generalprinciples of the invention; but it is to be understood that suchdetailed description is not t0 be taken in a limiting sense, since thescope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE l is a longitudinal section through a Well packer embodying theinvention disposed in a well casing, with certain of its parts inretracted condition;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, with the packer set in the wellcasing; and

FIG. 3 is an isometric projection of the slot portion of the locking andactuation device of the well packer.

The well packer A illustrated in the drawings is connectible to atubular string B, such as a string of tubing extending to the top of awell bore, the Well packer being movable longitudinally through a stringof well casing C within the well bore to the desired location at whichit is to be set therewithin. The specilic tool illustrated in thedrawings is intended to be used with other equipment in the well bore,such as a lower well packer (not shown), which will have previously beenset or anchored in the well casing at a desired point therewithin.

The Well packer A includes an upper or outer tubular body 10 telescopedover a lower or inner body 11, which has a normally retracted packingdevice thereon, specically -illustrated as a packing element or packingsleeve 12 made of pliant, elastic material, such as a rubber orrubber-like material. The lower end of this pliant, elastic packingsleeve engages a lower gauge ring or abutment 13 threadedly or otherwisesuitably secured to the inner body 11, its upper end engaging an upperguide, gauge ring or abutment 14 threadedly secured to the lower portionof the upper or -outer body 10. In effect, the lower abutment 13 andupper abutment 14 constitute parts of the -inner and outer bodies 11,10, respectively.

The lower or inner body 11 has a threaded portion 15 such as a threadedpin, adapted for connection to a lower portion 16 of the tubing stringB, which is secured to the lower packer (not shown) adapted to beanchored in packed-off condition at a desired location in the wellcasing C. The upper or outer body has an upper threaded portion 17, suchas a threaded box, threadedly secured to the tubular string B thatextends upwardly through the casing to the top of the well bore.

The downward telescoping of the upper body 10 along the lower body 11will shift the upper abutment 14 toward the lower abutment 13 to shortenthe packing sleeve 12 and effect its expansion into firm sealingengagement with the wall of the well casing C, as well as against theperiphery of the lower or inner body 11 and against the upper and lowerabutments or gauge rings. As further assurance against leakage of fluidthrough the interior of the packing sleeve 12, the upper and lower gaugerings 14, 13 may have seal rings 18 Vmounted thereon adapted to engagethe inner body 11.

The packing sleeve 12 itself is shortened or compressed with arelatively low longitudinal force imposed thereon. In this connection,the packing sleeve is of the type specifically illustrated in UnitedStates Patent` No. 2,988,148, and includes ports 19 extending throughits mid-portion, which mid-portion opens outwardly through theinherently cylindrical periphery 20 of the packing sleeve and into acavity 21 in the packing sleeve. As explained in the above patent, suchpacking sleeve, in effect, provides two opposed cup-shaped packingelements when expanded against the well casing, so that a fluid pressuredifferential below the well packer can pass through the ports 19 andexpand the upper portion of the packing sleeve outwardly against thewell casing, a fluid pressure differential in the casing above thepacking passing downwardly around the exterior of the packing sleeve andin through the ports 19 to its interior to expand the lower portion ofthe packing sleeve outwardly against the well casing. The specificpacking sleeve per se forms no part of the present invention, and ispresented merely to illustrate a type of packing element than can bepacked off against the Awell casing with the application of a lowerforce applied thereto than if the packing sleeve were a solid annularsleeve, one which is devoid of the intermediate ports 19.

The well packer A is lowered in the well casing with the packing sleeve12 in its inherent retracted condition, such as disclosed in FIG. l.When in this condition, the upper body 10 is disposed in an upperposition along the lower body 11 by a lock and cam mechanism 25 actingbetween the upper and lower bodies. When the upper body 10 is shifteddownwardly along the lower body 11 to expand the packing sleeve 1-2against the wall of the well casing, it is also retained or locked insuch expanded position by the locking and expansion device 25. Thislocking and expansion device also includes a mechanism for convertingrotary motion of the tubular string B and the upper Ibody 10 into axialmovement of the upper body along the lower or inner body 11 to effectexpansion of the packing sleeve 12, as well as to permit its subsequentretraction, in the event that such retraction is desired.

As specifically disclosed, the locking and packing actuating device 25includes a pin 26 extending through an aperture or hole 27 in the upperbody 10 and into a slot or groove structure 28 formed in the lower orinner body 11 above the location of the packing sleeve 12. The pin 26 isretained in position by a retaining cover or sleeve 29 surrounding thexbody, its upper end being engageable with a downwardly facing shoulder30 on the upper body, and its lower end with the upper guide or gaugering 14. The slot or groove structure 2S includes an upper retainingslot portion 31 normal to the axis of the upper and lower bodies, and alower retainer or slot portion 32 normal to the axis of the tubularbodies 10, 11, these slot portions being both longitudinally andarcuately spaced from one another. They are interconnected by aninclined slot portion or axial cam 33 extending downwardly from theupper slot portion 31 to the lower slot portion 32.

This inclined or axial cam 33 has parallel upper and lower sides 34, 35that merge into the upper and lower sides 36, 37 of the upper retainerslot 31 and also into the upper and lower sides 38, 39 of the lowerretainer slot portion 32.

When the lock pin 26 is in the upper or horizontal slot portion 31, theupper body 10 is retained in an elevated position with respect to thelower body 11, and the packing element or sleeve 12 is in its inherentlyretracted position, as shown in FIG. l. When the upper body 10 has beenshifted to locate the pin 26 in the lower slot portion 32, the packingsleeve 12 has been expanded against the well casing C (FIG. 2). Thetransfer of the lock pin 26 between the upper and lower slot portions31, 32 occurs as a result of rotary motion or turning effort of theupper or outer body 10` by the tubing string B and with respect to thelower or inner body 11, the pin being caused to shift through theinclined slot portion or axial cam 33, and, in so doing, will producelongitudinal movement of the upper 'body 10 along the lower body 11.

The well packer A is run in the well casing C on the tubing string B,and usually with a lower packer (not shown) connected to the lower orinner body 11 either directly or through a required length of tubing 16.The lock pin `26 is then disposed in the upper lock portion 31 and willretain the packer parts in their retracted position. Inadvertent turningof the upper body 10 on the lower body 11 is prevented initially by ashear screw 40 on the upper body extending into a socket 41 in the lowerbody 11. When the location in the well casing is reached at which thepackers are to be set, the tubing string B and upper packer A areappropriately manipulated to set the lower packer (not shown) in a knownmanner; whereupon left-hand or counterclockwise torque is applied to thetubing string and the upper body 10, which will disrupt the shear screw40 and effect a turning of the lock pin 26 from the upper slot portion31 into the inclined or axial cam slot portion 33, such cam 33 causingthe upper body 10 to shift downwardly along the lower body 11 and movethe upper abutment 14 toward the lower abutment 13 to shorten thepacking element or sleeve 12 and expand it outwardly against the wall ofthe well casing C. The application of the left-hand torque will continueuntil the pin 26 rides down through the entire length of the inclinedslot portion 33 and into the lower slot portion 32, which is normal tothe axis of the tubular bodies 10, 11. When such lower slot portion 32is entered, no further axial movement between the upper and lower bodiescan occur, such bodies being effectively locked in their contractedcondition to thereby retain the packing sleeve 12 in its expandedcondition. Such expanded condition will be retained despite theimposition o-f tension on the tubing string B, its being placed incompression, or its being retained in a neutral condition, since theparts of the well packer cannot move longitudinally relative to oneanother as a result of longitudinal forces imposed thereon by the tubingstring, the lock pin 26 remaining in the lower retainer portion 32 ofthe tool, which will maintain the packing element 12 in its expanded orset condtion against the well casing.

In the event the well packer A is to be released, the tubing string B ismerely turned to the right, or in a clockwise direction, which willeffect turning of the upper body 10 along the lower body 11, shiftingthe lock pin 26 from the lower slot portion 32 into the inclined oraxial Cam portion 33 of the slot structure, the pin riding upwardlyalong the lower side 35 of the inclined slot or groove portion, andeffecting an upward shifting of the outer body 10 along the inner body11, to move the upper abutment 14 further away from the lower abutment13, allowing the packing sleeve 12 to return inherently to its retractedcondition, the full retraction being obtained when the lock pin 26shifts into the upper or normal groove or slot portion 3l, which is aposition in which the packer parts are again retained in their initialor retracted condition.

The well packer A can now be moved longitudinally in the well casing, orelevated therewithin and removed entirely therefrom, if desired, theparts remaining in their locked, retracted condition.

The specific well packer disclosed in the drawings incorporates anequalizing valve 50 therein. Thus, the upper or outer body has aplurality of side ports 51 in its upper portion above which is located acylindrical valve seat 52. A tubular valve head 53 is threadedly securedto the upper portion of the inner body 11, and may be deemed toconstitute a part thereof, this valve head carrying a suitable seal ringor rings 54 on its periphery adapted to engage the valve seat 52.

When the well packer is in its retracted condition, as disclosed in FIG.l, the ports 51 are disposed above the upper end 55 of the inner body11, and the cylindrical valve seat S2 is located above the tubular valvehead 53 and its seal ring or rings 54. The valve portion 50 of thepacker is then in the open condition, to permit fluid to pass betweenthe interior of the bodies 10, 11 and the tubing string B, on the onehand, and the tubing-casing annulus D surrounding the well packer A andtubing B, on the other hand. When the upper body 10 is shifteddownwardly to effect expansion of the packing sleeve 12 and setting ofthe packer in the well casing, as described above, the cylindrical valveseat 52 is shifted downwardly and over the seal rings 54 of the tubularvalve head 53, closing the side ports 51 to the ow of fluidtherethrough.

It is evident that the equalizing valve 50 is in its open condition whenthe packing sleeve 12 is retracted and with the lock pin 26 in the uppergroove portion 31, and that the valve is automatically shifted to acondition closing the side ports 51 when the upper body 10 is shifteddownwardly along the lower body 11 to expand the packing sleeve 12outwardly against the well casing. The subsequent elevation of the outerbody 10 along the lower body 11 in response to right-hand torque appliedthrough the tubin-g string A to the outer body 10 will not only permitthe packing sleeve 12 to retract inherently from its expanded condition,but will efect simultaneous opening of the upper valve portion 50 of thewell packer.

The well packer disclosed will remain positively locked with its valveportion 50 in open condition and its packing sleeve 12 retracted duringlongitudinal movement of the packer A through the well casing C. Thepacking sleeve 12 can be expanded outwardly solely through theapplication of turning effort or torque to the tubing string A and theupper body 10, the tubing string being maintained in a neutral conditionduring such application of torque. As an example, the applying of about450 ft. lbs. of lefthand torque is sufiicient to secure a firm andleakproof pack-off or seal of the packing element or sleeve 12 againstthe well casing C, as Well as against the upper and lower abutments 14,13 and the lower or inner body 11 of the well packer. Such turningeffort also closes the valve 50. The application of right-hand torquewill first achieve opening of the valve 50, during which the compressiveforce on the packing sleeve 12 is partially relieved, after which thecompletion of the right-hand turning of the upper body 10 to relocatethe lock pin 26 in its upper slot portion 31 will insure full release orretraction of the packing sleeve from the well casing.

We claim:

1. In a well tool adapted to be lowered in a well bore on a tubularstring: an inner body; an outer body telescoped over said inner body;means on one of said bodies for connecting said one body to the tubularstring; normally retracted means on said inner body engageable withabutment means on said inner and outer bodies; and actuating meansinterconnecting said inner and outer bodies and responsive to turning ofsaid one of said bodies by the tubular string for shifting said abutmentmeans on said inner and outer bodies toward each other to expand saidnormally retracted means laterally outwardly; said actuating meanscomprising a slotted region on one of said bodies having upper and lowerlongitudinally and arcuately spaced retaining slot portions and anintermediate inclined slot portion interconnecting said upper and lowerslot portions, said actuating means further comprising a pin on theother of said bodies shiftable in and between said upper, intermediateand lower slot port1ons to etect said expansion of said normallyretracted means, said pin preventing longitudinal movement between saidbodies when disposed in said upper slot portion and lower slot portion.

2. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said normally retracted meanscomprising pliant, elastic packing means.

3. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said upper and lower slotportions being extended arcuately on planes substantially normal to theaxis of said bodies.

4. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said upper and lower slotportions being extended arcuately on planes substantially normal to theaxis of said bodies; said normally retracted means comprising pliant,elastic packing means.

5. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said connecting means and pinbeing on said outer body, said slotted region being on said inner body.

6. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said connecting means and pinbeing on said outer body, said slotted region being on said inner body;said upper and lower slot portions being extended arcuately on planessubstantially normal to the axis of said bodies.

7. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said connecting means and pinbeing on said outer body, said slotted region being on said inner body;said upper and lower slot portions being extended arcuately on planessubstantially normal to the axis of Said bodies; said normally retractedmeans comprising pliant, elastic packing means.

8. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said bodies providing a passagefor the flow of fluid between the interior and exterior of said bodies;and coengageable and disengageable valve means on said bodies forclosing and opening said passage upon relative longitudinal movement ofsaid bodies in one direction in expanding said normally retracted meansand upon relative longitudinal movement of said bodies in the oppositelongitudinal direction to enable said normally retracted means toretract.

9. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said upper and lower slotportions being substantially normal to the axis of said bodies; saidnormally retracted means comprising pliant, elastic packing means; sai-dbodies providing a passage for the flow of fluid between the interiorand exterior of said bodies; and coengageable and disengageable valvemeans on said bodies for closing and opening said passage upon relativelongitudinal movement of said bodies in one direction in expanding saidnormally retracted means and upon relative longitudinal movement of saidbodies in the opposite longitudinal direction to enable said normallyretracted means to retract.

10. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; said connecting means and pinbeing on said outer body, said slotted region being on said inner body;said upper and lower slot por tions being substantially normal to theaxis of said bodies; said normally retracted means comprising pliant,elastic packing means; said bodies providing a passage for the flow ofuid between the interior and exterior of said bodies; and coengageableand disengageable valve means on said bodies for closing and openingsaid passage upon relative longitudinal movement of said bodies in onedirection in expanding said normally retracted means and upon relativelongitudinal movement of said bodies in the opposite longitudinaldirection to enable said normally retracted means to retract.

11. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; releasable means for initiallypreventing operation of said actuating means.

12. In a well tool as defined in claim 1; releasable means for initiallypreventing operation of said actuating means including a shearableelement interengaged with said bodies and initially maintaining said pinin said upper slot portion, said shearable element being sheared uponinitial turning of said one of said bodies.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Boer 166-196 X 8 2,940,524 6/1960Miller 277-116.S X 3,260,310 7/1966 Brown 166-131 3,352,362 11/1967Lebourg 166-240 X CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

I. A. CALVERT, Assisfant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

